The theme of William Golding's novel Lord of the Flies holds true 60 years on. Although the plot involves English boys marooned on a tropical island, the same thing would happen to any group today. Over mankind's history, the struggle for survival is foremost in our make-up. To mark the 60th anniversary of his written work, Nobel Prize-winning English author William Golding's family are giving his literary archive on loan to the University of Exeter. This includes the very different original version of his famous tale of boys fending for themselves on an uninhabited island. The 1954 dystopian novel features a group of British boys who try to govern themselves with disastrous results.

lordoftheflies.org

Popular around the world as a school text, millions of copies have been sold. There are some 30 translations into other languages and there have been two film adaptations, in 1963 and 1990.Click here for the BBC's wonderful article on his daughter's thoughts about his writing. Born on the north Cornish coast in 1911, Golding loved the sea until his death in 1993. However, in the story there is no clear explanation of why the schoolboys are where they are apart from hints that war, possibly nuclear war, has preceded the action. His daughter believes the book has remained in demand for six decades for two main reasons. The writing compels the reader and the underlying moral questions of survival are still relevant today. My published co-written novels in the Higher Ground dystopian series are based on a similar premise. Set in Cornwall, UK, a teenage girl sets off to find a ring her mother saw in a dream before she died. Something has happened in the past to remove all technology. The surviving generations are strong and live amongst the trees covering the land. Small groups of society live in different areas, all with rules and customs of their own. We hint at the catastrophe with a 1927 diary excerpt at the beginning of each book, which draws the reader into the adventure of the wonderful characters who band together on the way to the desolate city of Long Doom.

I really enjoy dystopia future novels. I guess I enjoy the takes people have on the future and how it could become dark and mysterious. I've been really enjoying the TV show The 100. It's based on a novel, but not one that I've read yet. The show has definitely piqued my interest for it.

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Dorit Sasson

9/17/2014 05:04:57 am

I wonder if the movie "Dead Poets Society" which was screenplayed from a novel would in fact, be considered to be dystopian. The boys were "taught" to be regimented in a society whose "headmasters" thought they were giving them a "right" education, but the boys created their own utopia for their own right.
Great read.
Dorit Sasson
Giving a Voice to Your Story
www.GivingaVoicetotheVoicelessBook.com

Francene,
I always liked that book. I read it in high school but never forgot it.
Usually I don't read that kind of book on my own but i am glad I took it for the class and discussed it. I agree with the daughter as to why it has retained its popularity.
Thanks for sharing this today!
Amy

You've had a rich life, Francene. Read your bio on Amazon. I love the "behind the scenes" of books and writers. I love the way you are connecting your own writing to each post. I will admit, I am not into the dystopian genre - not in films and not in books.. Don't know why. Perhaps you will slowly lure me in! HUGS <3

Loved your write up, I haven't thought about this book for a while and it's one of the books I like reading in school. It reminded me that not everyone is help to the same values and ideals and one can try to govern themselves to some extent!

I'll have to pick this book up again sometime for a reread as an adult.

It's been many, many years since I read Lord of the Flies. I don't think, though, that it made as much of an impression on me as a teenager as another book, On the Beach, did. I guess I'm one of the few people who never quite got into Lord of the Flies.

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Francene Stanley:﻿Author﻿I use news items in my fantasy novels.

Born in Australia, I moved to Britain half way through my long life. If you like my writing, why not consider purchasing one of my books on the sidebar below?I blogged 260 days last year. Link.